The Picky Eater

OVER in Dundrum’s village centre, Le Spice Indian restaurant is the new kid on the block, and local fans of authentic Indian gourmet cuisine will be hoping it’s there to stay.
Tucked away down the side lane beside AIB, this snug little venue provides an authentic Indian experience.
Upon entering, you will be greeted by the unmistakable sounds of Ravi Shankar picking away on the sitar.
This adds to the relaxing ambience of the restaurant, with its elegantly dimmed lights and curious paintings on the wall.
After sitting down, we were served with a basket of flat, crispy bread and a dish with three separate chutneys to munch on while looking over the menu.
This was followed by a bottle of fruity Spanish red wine from the impressive wine list.
The menu offers a selection of high-class, gourmet dishes which are a far cry from the stereotypical onion bhajis and curry.
The menu – which boasts duck, king prawns, and lamb, among other dishes – is very refined without being too pretentious to also offer French fries and a kiddies’ menu.
Each dish has a series of letters beside it, from ‘m’ for mild, to ‘hhh’ for very hot, so as not to catch customers unawares.
There are a variety of tempting starters, and The Picky Eater and companion both decided on the spiced marinated Murgh Tikka, cooked in a clay oven (€5.45).
This was served up in no time and was tastefully presented, liberal and delicious.
For mains, I decided on Lamb Rogan Josh (€13.95) with egg-fried rice, while my companion chose Majadar Jhinga (€16.95), which is jumbo prawns cooked with fried onion and capsicum in a medium spicy sauce, a touch of Masalla sauce and coriander with egg-fried rice (€3.20).
Rice is served in a separate bowl to allow the customer to mix as they see fit. The prawns were almost big enough to rival lobsters, and my companion was very impressed with the sauce.
The Rogan Josh did not fail to impress either, and not a scrap was left uneaten.
If you’re looking for a quiet, comfortable evening of Indian cuisine, The Picky Eater recommends a visit to Le Spice.